Shiva Ahrens, Caroline Frazier, Connor Lewis, Jonelle Compiani, Christian Londono, Christel Andio, Eva Greene and Alexi Ketcherside
Nonprofit
Connor Lewis rarely cries. When he volunteered at a holiday toy drive run by the Emerging Leaders with United Way of Palm Beach County, a parent thanked the group for providing gifts for her children. Otherwise, she would have been unable to give her children toys. “It brought me to tears,” says Lewis, vice chair of Emerging Leaders.
Emerging Leaders lets early to mid-career professionals take action and learn to give their time, talent and resources to make a difference in the community. Members connect with fellow entrepreneurs, businesspeople and executives who share a common goal of making an impact.
The group is 350 members strong, says Eva Greene, chair of the Emerging Leaders until September. Lewis will take over as chair after her. Membership costs $250 annually, which is less than $1 a day. Projects include a Thanksgiving food drive and Back to School PBC. The group celebrates its 10-year anniversary next year.
Lewis grew up in Palm Beach County and his grandfather was a state senator. “My family made it imperative that we give back to the community,” says Lewis, a wholesale property broker with RT Specialty in Sunrise. He says the United Way and Emerging Leaders have exposed him to many agencies that help make a difference. Emerging Leaders lets him network with young professionals while giving back. “You get the rush of doing something great and doing it with new people.”
Greene was born and raised in South Florida as well. She is national marketing lead for RSM. “I’m connected to the values that we hold as an organization,” she says. “They’re results-oriented and care about the community. It’s given me a sense of direction and purpose.” She loves their gleaning projects. Here, they visit local farms and pick leftover crops which are then given to food banks. “I love getting my hands dirty. United Way is an organization that helps provide opportunities that make an immense impact and a tangible difference.”
United Way of Palm Beach County, 477 S. Rosemary Ave., Ste. 230, West Palm Beach, 561-375-6600, unitedwaypbc.org
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